The purpose of this thesis is to find out the reasons and perhaps some answers to the problem as we see it, the sickness benefit expiration of those who experience this. By this said we have also taken into account the different laws and adjustments in the long-term sickness benefit, but also major reformation of the security net in the Swedish society. The efficiency of the law on passive long-term sickness absence was added in July 2008, but was later in January 2010 supplemented. The purpose of this law wasn’t only to reduce the long-term sickness absence but also to reduce exclusion. These changes had also been highlighted by the media that people were actually being excluded from the society. It creates marginalization. The aim of this study is to highlight individuals' feelings about the whole performing hedge process. The survey was conducted through semi-structured interviews where we wanted a deeper knowledge of the interviewee’s experiences. In order to give the interviewee the opportunity and possibility to form their own mind and own reflections and express their own thoughts, the questions were open for answers. This allowed us to ask supplementary questions. After collecting the empirical data we did a breakdown in the following three themes: the experiences of the sickness absence, the experiences by the response of the concerned authorities. The theories chosen in this study are stigma, social exclusion, sense of coherence (SOC) and sick role. The economic exclusion creates social exclusion where as the sense of shame among the interviewee’s increase. By this said, the interviewee’s are not able to participate actively in the social activities to the same extent, but also they cannot provide for themselves. This can obviously lead to increased risk for mental illness. In our analysis we aim to discuss our issues based on the experiences for the interviewees’.

Thailand possesses high potential for solar energy, which has been given more attention from both government and the private sector lately. While the major investment in solar energy has gradually shifted from governments to private sectors, this paper aims to compare private investment's net present value (NPV) and production risks of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) projects. The scope of this paper includes PV projects on three different scales: 3 kW, 5 MW and 73 MW installed capacity in 74 locations across Thailand. The study utilizes RETscreen software to estimate means and variability in electricity productions in Thailand. Cost-benefit analysis is the method used to measure projects’ NPV and profitability, while portfolio theory is applied to capture the profit variability or production risk. The analysis also includes 3 feed-in-tariff (FIT or adder) scenarios that are likely to happen in the solar energy policy in Thailand; which are 8 baht/kWh, 6.5 baht/kWh and the case where there is no support at all. The study finds that 3 kW PV projects yield negative NPV, which means investment losses, in all scenarios and locations in the country. On the other hand, 5 MW PV projects result in positive NPV in all scenarios and locations and it is concluded to be the most profitable scale among three. 73 MW PV projects are considered as policy dependenceas the projectsyield negative NPV without the supports. Sensitivity analysis shows that the costs of 3 kW projects have to reduce at least by 60% in order to turn the projects to profits. With respect to allocation of risk, the production risks of 73 MW projects are slightly higher compared to the other two scales. Also, it is shown that the technologies located in north of Thailand have higher production risks, but yield approximately the same expected net benefits as technologies located in the rest of the country. As for conclusions, the future of PV technology in Thailand is still bright, but the investors should intensely consider about scale and location of the implementation. Further researches can examine other scales of PV technology and the drives behind the risk characteristics in Thailand.

This thesis analyses the struggle over rights to benefits and ownership of plant genetic resources and the global regime complex on the management of plant genetic resources, and how different regimes concerning these resources cooperate or stand in opposition to each other. Because of changes in US patent law and the establishment of TRIPS, patent claims over plant genetic resources has increased dramatically globally. This, amongst other things, in turn has lead to the acrimonious negotiations of access and benefit sharing arrangements within the framework CBD. The objective of this thesis is to examine the interaction between the international regimes regulating genetic resources and intellectual property and to analyse how these regime interactions, affect the protection of traditional knowledge held by local communities, indigenous peoples and small farmers in developing countries. The thesis concludes that it exists several regime interactions that are disruptive and undermine the possibility of protecting traditional knowledge from misappropriation. It is further concluded that modifications of the existing IPR regimes, on the disclosure of inventions, with a certificate of legal provenance, securing FPIC, MAT and benefit sharing, may serve as one brick in the wall that protect traditional knowledge from misappropriation through wrongly granted patents. But a certificate of legal provenance will not do the work alone. To protect traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources in the long term bio-cultural solutions which sustains the entire community where traditional knowledge is embedded is needed.

In recent years, the use of option pricing models to support IT investment decisions has been proposed in the MIS literature. In this paper, we discuss the practical advantages of such techniques for the selection of a software platform. First, we argue that traditional quantitative approaches to a cost-benefit analysis give only a partial picture of such decision situations: due to the long planning horizon required because of the time-consuming and resource-intensive implementation process, it is not possible to exactly predict which applications will, in fact, run on the system over time. Thus, the investor is faced with the problem of valuing "implementation opportunities". We then compare different valuation techniques for this task and discuss their respective advantages and drawbacks. The practical advantages of employing such models are demonstrated by describing a real-life case study where option pricing models were used for deciding whether to continue employing SAP R/2 or to switch to SAP R/3. (author's abstract) / Series: Working Papers SFB "Adaptive Information Systems and Modelling in Economics and Management Science"

Inuit exercise a significant degree of self-determination in Nunavut through the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, particularly in the area of non-renewable resource development. Self-determination is linked to both Inuit and Canadian identity and conceptualized in its democratic form as relationships of autonomy and interdependence mediated by resource management institutions. This thesis argues that democratic self-determination depends on local experiences of reciprocity and legitimate institutional representation. Nunavut’s institutional actors have the potential to establish locally acceptable norms of reciprocity and representation through (quasi-) constitutionally mandated Inuit Associations, an Inuit public government at the municipal and territorial levels, and resource co-management boards. Using a qualitative research methodology involving document analysis, semi-structured interviews and participant observation, this thesis explores how residents of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, are experiencing democratic self-determination from the perspectives of representation and reciprocity. Results indicate that conflict between municipalities and Inuit Associations over the distribution of resource benefits can overshadow attitudes of reciprocity between public and Inuit spheres. Although both Inuit Associations and public governments are seen as legitimately representing local interests in resource development, each have distinct roles: Inuit Associations negotiate Impact and Benefit Agreements with industry as a matter of right, while public government’s role is the responsible delivery of social services. The legitimacy of Inuit Associations as representatives of Inuit interests was challenged by a minority of research participants who expressed concerns about elitism and unaccountability of Inuit officials, and educational barriers to non-elite participation in decision-making. Meanwhile the criticisms registered against the public governments illustrated contemporary attitudes of resentment based on a history of colonialism and distance from centre to periphery. The Nunavut Impact Review Board was found to be a valuable mechanism for managing Inuit-state relations in its ability to foster trust, though its ability to determine the just distribution of resource benefits is circumscribed. Ultimately, this research suggests that from the perspective of reciprocity and legitimate representation, the birth of Nunavut should not be considered an end to the struggle for greater local democratic control over economic and political destinies.

There is a demand for new recommendations for pulse seeding rates that will meet the needs of organic farmers. This study was conducted to determine the impact of seeding rate on N2 fixation and N accumulation in lentil and pea and to examine the impact of different seeding rates of lentil and pea on the productivity and N-uptake (i.e., N benefit) in a subsequent wheat crop.<p> The study was performed between 2005 and 2007. Two sites were selected each year of the two-year experiment on certified organic farms in central Saskatchewan. At each location, lentil (<i>Lens culinaris</i> L.) cultivar CDC Sovereign and field pea (<i>Pisum sativum</i> L.) cultivar CDC Mozart were each seeded at five different rates. Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) cultivar AC Elsa was sown as a non-fixing reference crop at a plant population density of 250 seeds m-2. In the following year, wheat was sown to assess the effect of the pulse seeding rate treatments on the succeeding crop.<p> The pulse crop seeding rates significantly affected the quantity of N2 fixed of lentil and field pea, although %Ndfa (80 to 88% and 79 to 85% for lentil and pea, respectively) typically was unaffected by seeding rate. Yield parameters of following wheat crop were not affected by the seeding rates of the previous pulses. Typically, N contributions increased with increasing seeding rates of both lentil and pea, but there was no detectable difference in N uptake by the following wheat grown on the both pulse stubble. The different seeding rates of organically grown lentil and field pea have impacts on the amount of N2 fixed and N contribution to the soil. However, the differences in N remaining in the soil at different seeding rates of the pulse crops were not detectable in the following wheat crop and the soil N in the following year.

When consumers are able to buy electricity on an hourly instead of monthly basis, the demand side flexibility is likely to increase. One way to lower the cost of electricity is to move consumption from peak price hours to low price hours, a sort of inter-temporal substitution were the net energy use is unaffected. By simulating one example of inter-temporal substitution in the Swedish spot market during 2008-2010, we show that the general welfare effects are small in terms of a more efficient energy production, but that the transfer of resources from producers to consumers is large. Whether the welfare effect is positive or negative is highly dependent on future electricity prices, the introduction of renewable energy resources, and the price of the new technology needed for the demand side regulation. If 2010 is used as a reference case, the results from our specific case concludes that a natural investment equilibrium is reached when approximately 150 000 households invest in the proposed demand side regulation technology. Using the same reference year, we see that if 70 000 households participates the Net Present Welfare benefit is around 10% of the necessary investment cost; to be compared with the transfer of benefits from producers to consumers which estimates roughly 2100% of the necessary investment cost. We argue that this imbalance in potential welfare benefits between producers and consumers might slow down the process of increasing the general welfare.

Den första april 2010 bildades myndigheten Trafikverket som har till uppgift att ansvara för infrastrukturinvesteringar inom sjöfart, luftfart, väg och järnväg. I denna brytningstid för infrastrukturinvesteringar inom transportsektorn har vi valt att undersöka hur cb-analyser skulle kunna användas inom sjöfartsnäringen. Vi har med hjälp av CBA-teori resonerat kring hur detta skulle kunna användas inom sjöfarten i praktiken. Till hjälp har vi haft den mest använda litteraturen om CBA samt rapporter främst från SIKA (Statens institut för kommunikationsanalys) och Sjöfartsverket. En viktig poäng med den här uppsatsen är att alla infrastrukturprojekt inom transportsektorn ska utredas likvärdigt. Om inte trafikslagen bedöms på liknande grunder riskerar de lönsammaste investeringsprojekten att felaktigt bortprioriteras. En likvärdig bedömning är därmed nödvändig för en effektiv resursallokering. Idag används ASEK 4-rapporten som manual för CBA inom väg- och järnväg och därmed måste även CBA inom sjöfarten utgå från ASEK 4:s rekommendationer, även om manualen inte kan ses som fullständig. Näst efter en likvärdig bedömning i prioriteringsordningen är att införa Monte Carlo-analys som standard. Monte Carlo-analysen är en bra metod för känslighetsanalyser. Vi har i denna uppsats kunnat påvisa att Monte Carlo-analys kan genomföras med enkla statistiska programvaror. Förutom dessa två åtgärder finns ett flertal andra utvecklingsområden som identi-fierats i denna uppsats. Först och främst måste intrångskostnaderna värderas monetärt och nya prognosmodeller utvecklas för att möjliggöra värdering av överflyttning mellan trafikslag. Ett annat prioriterat område är att omvärdera kostnaden för koldioxidutsläpp. Ytterligare ett område som behöver ses över är bullervärdering för havsmiljö. Mindre viktiga utvecklingsområden är en omvärdering av ventilationsfaktorn för hamnnära utsläpp och bedömning av den allmänna olycksrisken vid sjötransporter.

There is a debate in Sweden if the Automatic Safety and speed enforcement systems (SSS) in Sweden are profitable or not. Cost benefit analysis (CBA) is an excellent tool for determining the economy of traffic safety measures. The parameters of the CBA in this work include: tire wear, fuel consumption, environmental pollution, saved lives and injuries, reduced material damage, time for disputing tickets, time in traffic lines due to accidents, longer time due to lower speed and collected fines and maintained cost for the SSS. The sensitivity analysis shows that the SSS system appears to be profitable and the greatest uncertainty arises from the calculation of saved lives. Each SSS will on average generate a profit of approximately 250,000 SEK annually.

Abstract In Taiwan, long-line fishing has been the major technique in fishery. With the enhancement of fishing techniques, the fishing zone of Taiwan has spread all over three of World Oceans, and Taiwan has been regarded as one of five largest pelagic fishing countries. Pelagic long-line fishery plays a crucial role in economic development in Taiwan. In recent years, the fishery environments, whether in domestic or foreign fishing zone, have been dramatically changing. Since the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea has been resulted, all of coastal nations have subsequently set up the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or marine economic development zone, which is stretched out 200 nautical miles from a nation¡¦s coast. However, the establishment of marine economic development zone also brings about the high seas¡¦ largely shrinking. Since the past, the increasing extinction of fish species is mainly resulted from illegal fishing techniques, fishing in the fishing-prohibited zone or during the prohibited period, catching fingerlings and using illegitimate fishing gear. Under such a decreasing fishing circumstance, those Taiwanese long-line fishing vessels under 100 tonnes, mostly fishing in the South Pacific Ocean, are struggling with many changes, such as international fishing limitation, the fishing vessels decreasing policy, the diminishing amount of fish caused by climate changes, the raising oil price and cost. Respecting the situation that most of long-line fishing vessels are managed by ship owners instead of fishery companies, and the fishing-related records are too scarce to provide for reference, this research will explore how the 100-tonne-under long-line fishing vessels owners can manage their business in South Pacific Ocean. All information in this study is acquired from Fisheries Agency in Taiwan and interviews with long-line fishing vessels owners. The questions asked in those interviews mainly target fishing benefit, cost, method of supplies, and the policy on captain and crew management. Based on the analysis of those cases mentioned above, we can figure out the practical operation and management of the 100-tonne-under long-line fishing vessels owners in Taiwan. Furthermore, this study also points out current difficulties in fishery management, providing for those vessels owners as the crucial reference of increasing competitive advantages. Keywords: Long-Line Fishing, South Pacific Ocean, Business Management, Yellowfin Tuna, Cost-Benefit Analysis